The Truth About Showering
by snapecharmer12
Summary: Post-DH, one-shot. Ginny and Neville share a moment after the battle. Implied H/G and N/L


**The Truth About Showering**

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor am I JK Rowling...the writing should speak for itself.

A/N: This is a one-shot I wrote after the release of DH. But since it fits nicely in a chaptered H/G story I am currently writing you might see it again. In my mind Neville and Ginny share a deep friendship and I hope I have accurately portrayed their playful and fun nature. Please review!

Spotting Neville's dark hair across the room, she was extremely pleased to see the crowd that had surrounded him since the end of the battle had practically disappeared. She wanted to speak to him again, this time alone and preferably not sobbing all over the poor bloke. Ginny made her way to her best friend's table and immediately bent to wrap her arms around his neck. Touching him and knowing he was well and alive made her heart swell. She felt rather than saw his head turn to identify the intruder of his personal space.

"G! Sweetie! Here, sit down," he said happily as he placed his right arm around her shoulders guiding her to the seat directly next to him. Her arms moved to encircle his torso and she rested her head on his broad shoulder. "You look awful," Neville joked as he placed a friendly kiss to the top of her red head. "And you stink, just a little."

Despite her melancholy, she snorted at his comment. "You don't look or smell so hot yourself. Watch it or you'll become the 'stinky kid in class' and no one wants that title." Ginny retorted with a smirk on her face. Looking up into his kind face and smiling blue eyes, she felt a rush of brotherly affection for this man and she instinctively squeezed him to emphasize her next words.

"I'm so proud of you, Neville." She stated seriously.

"Well, look who's talking, Little Miss. You constantly surprise and impress me...you and your mum." Ginny smiled her second genuine smile in less than a minute and thought back to her mother's fierce battle with that evil, nasty witch, Bellatrix Lestrange. She wholeheartedly agreed.

"Yeah," Ginny concurred, "she was great. I doubt my brothers will ever try to make her cross again. I know I am now following the path of the straight and narrow."

Neville laughed heartily. "We'll see how long _that_ lasts."

After a few moments of comfortable silence, Ginny sighed feeling slightly guilty for exchanging barbs with Neville. "I think I'm in shock," she confessed. "I feel so strange inside, like I should be mourning but rejoicing at the same time. I don't know how I should act or feel. Fred wouldn't want me to be sad but I am desperately crushed. He left us too soon; it's not fair to George. And poor Teddy. Tonks and Remus deserved to love him and see him grow into the great man he's destined to be." With tears clouding her vision she continued to ramble unable to stop herself once she started. "And what are we going to do with Harry? He gave himself up! When will he stop putting others before himself? He is one person that deserves to be selfish, yet he can't do it. It infuriates me. Just once I'd like for him to do what he really wanted, not what he thinks other people expect of him..."

"His selflessness conquered Voldemort." Neville interrupted wisely. "You shouldn't fault him for that. Anyway, we both know that's not why you're really angry with him...and you shouldn't feel guilty for feeling happy or having a good time," he shook her shoulder slightly, his voice light. "Like you said, Fred would not have wanted you to be sad. Actually, I think we should throw a party in his honor. Gran and I will bring a keg of firewhiskey."

Sighing dramatically Ginny nudged his ribs, "You're right. Again."

Though his words were few, they put her mind at ease and Ginny realized his words were true. About everything. Fred always loved a good party. She told Neville as much.

Once more the pair lapsed into a companionable silence. Her thoughts automatically drifted to Harry but she willed her mind to concentrate on anything but him. Ginny closed her eyes as she rested against Neville's sturdy frame and for the first time she allowed herself to take stock of her current state. She was exhausted-- mentally, physically, emotionally. Yet she didn't think sleep would claim her until much later.

"I am so tired." She whispered. "It's been such a long year. You made it all bearable... and I hated leaving you here after Easter." She finished lamely voicing what had been eating at her since she stepped foot into the Room of Requirement the night before.

"I know you did," Neville said sweetly, "but it was for the best. Plus, I went into hiding myself not long after so it would have been almost impossible to carry on with our plans." He paused briefly as if unsure he wanted to continue but he did so with a defeated groan. "I hate seeing her with him."

Following his thoughts of Luna, Ginny lifted her head from his shoulder and spotted her down the table talking very closely with Dean Thomas. Her heart broke for her friend as she understood all too well the trials and consequences of unrequited love. "You should tell her how you feel, Neville. How is she to know otherwise? You never know, she might feel the same."

He shrugged helplessly, "S'no good now. She's probably dating Thomas."

"Just because you date someone doesn't mean you're in love with that person. Hell, I dated Dean too." She nodded encouragingly, her eyes fixed on Luna and Dean. At that moment, a pair of electric blue eyes swung to their location and Ginny smiled warmly at her pretty friend. Luna beamed and mouthed something incomprehensible, waving her hand above her forehead as if swatting a particularly bothersome fly.

"Don't worry, I'll get the scoop." Ginny stated confidently as she watched Luna say goodbye to Dean.

Standing from the wooden chair her eyes followed the trail of blond hair then she glanced back down at Neville's love-struck face. Rejuvenated, Ginny bent down once again so she was eye level with her close friend and turned his face to hers. "Oh, and if you plan on attracting any girls you might want to take a shower at some point today. No one will have anything to do with you otherwise." She smiled sweetly and planted a quick kiss on his check before skipping off in the direction of Luna.

"Unbelievable." She heard him swear. "Maybe you should take your own advice. And I'm not only talking about the showering bit," Neville called out after her, laughter ringing in his voice.

Turning to catch his handsome smile, Ginny threw a wink at him and lifted her eyebrows suggestively. "I'll let her know you could need some help, then?" she questioned in an effort to rebuff his statement, raising her voice as she backed away to the entrance. "And I am talking about the showering bit."

A few spectators watched their exchange with amused expressions. She waved back to him assuredly with a nod and a thumbs up, as a chorus of snickers echoed down the aisle. Ginny Weasley walked out of the Great Hall with a smile on her face and her heart lighter than it had been in many months.


End file.
